One Velvet Night
by DropOutGirlScout
Summary: A girl paces back and forth in a dusty, clutterridden house. Waiting.. waiting.. when, suddenly, a knock startles her. She slowly creeps to the door as the knock sounds again. Slowly she opens the door, who is it?


The bell in the dark house chimed midnight. One…two…three…and on to twelve. The entire village was soundly asleep, except for one house. A lone figure moved among the still dwelling; a girl about the age of fifteen. She paced – back and forth and back and forth. What she was about to do seemed to grealty frighten her. Glancing at the dusty grandfather clock in the corner, illuminated by the moonlight it read 12:02.

"He's late…" she thought shakily. "He probably won't even come…" she said aloud. "Maybe I should leave." Desperately trying to think of a reason to leave, there was a loud knock at the oak front door. The girl jumped, startled at the sudden noise that cut through the silent air. Her intial instinct was to flee, but she knew she could not. The problem had to be taken care of – tonight. Creeping slowly forward as the knock sounded again, she opened the door as far as the chain lock would allow. What met her was a familiar face with a tuft of brown hair falling into his eyes.

"Thank goodness it's you," the apprehensive teen said, unlocking the door and opening it. The silhouette of teenage boy, maybe sixteen years of age, was cast across the front hall carpet.

"You know I would never leave you, Katherine," the boy said smiling, stepping over the hearth as the girl closed the door and silently locked it. His smile was sweet and his eyes were soft, Katherine knew he would do her no harm. Side glancing at each other, they smiled and moved into an embrace. They stood there for a while, the boy listened to Katherine's quickened heart beat and she listened to his calm, even breathing. Uneasily, they slowly let go of each other. The male's face was suddenly serious.

"Are you ready?" he said, his voice firm, but gentle. Katherine nodded and breathed deeply. Entering the moonlit family room, the patches of darkness pressed against their eyes like a weightless veil. Guided by the pools of silver moonlight, they came to rest on the floor in front of the long forgotten fireplace. On the motheaten carpet sat six candles; five stood upright on what would be the five points of a star, and one was left off to the side. A box of matches sat haphazardly in front of the grate, and in the middle of the five candles lay a photograph. Katherine took a breath, glancing at the boy on her right.

"Are you sure we should…?" she began, but gently he shushed her.

"Go on," he said in an ushering, but kindly manner. She nodded slowly, removing a match from the box and, after unassuringly examining it, struck it and watched it ignite. Slowly picking up the sixth candle, she let the flame of the match lick the wick of the candle. Watching the dancing orange flame come alive on the candle, she blew out the match. As Katherine went to light the five candles, the boy noticed how shaky her hands were. A sad smile graced his lips as he took her hand in his own.

"It's alright," he whispered. Guiding her hand, they lit each candle, casting an eerie glow over the photograph. Letting go of her hand, he gave Katherine a reassuring nod as she glanced at him. Turning back to the candles, she gently picked up the photograph. Staring back at her was a picture of a young man with short brown hair and handsome blue eyes. Katherine's eyes pricked with pain as tears welled in her eyes. The boy in the photograph had been her everything… Her first love… Apprehensively raising the candle to the same level as the photograph, she looked cautiously back and forth. Could she do it? No… she was not strong enough. It seemed the boy in the picture was laughing at Katherine as the glow of the fire danced upon him. Cruel, horrid laughter filled her ears… but suddenly, it ceased.

"It'll be okay," came the comforting male voice from the dark. Katherine nodded. She could do this. She moved the candle underneath the picture and let the small flame consume it. As the photo singed and burned, Katherine felt a sense of release, and yet, at the same time, a great feeling of sadness. Letting the remnants of the photograph fall into the fireplace, tears fell from her eyes. Strong, sturdy arms slowly encircled around her. Turning, Katherine buried her face into the boy's shoulder as her sobs increased.

"Let it out…" she heard him whisper, "It's alright to forget… Forget him, he doesn't deserve you…" And as they sat together, alone in the house, a sorrowful rain began to fall outside. Many days passed... many, many days. Katherine's outlook on life improved steadily and she began to feel more free. At the end of a very positive day, many months later, the boy kissed Katherine. And this, they felt, was the start of a brand new life for both of them.


End file.
